Reenforced milk-bottle container



Sept. 17, 1929.

E. TRAUTMAN REENFORCED MILK BOTTLE CONTAINER Filed Jan. 8, 1926 Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST TRAUTMAN, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE REPUBLIC BOX COM- PANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ACORPORATION OFOHIO REENFORCED MILK-BOTTLE CONTAINER Application filed January This invention relates to containers such as commonly used for milk bottles and like receptacles which are adapted to be handled and stored in stacks.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an unusually sturdy construction whereby the containers may be subjected to considerable abuse Without being weakened and becoming distorted.

A specific object is to provide a two part corner reen force construction which parts may be easily applied to the corners of a rectangular shell formed of separate members already joined. in such a manner that they may be conveniently handled as a unit.

My corner construction embodies a pair of formed. sheet metal braces, one of which is placed within the corner of the shell and the other on the outside of the corner, both braces extending along each adjacent side shell member for a little distance. The two members are joined to each other by fastening members such as rivets which pass through the mate rial forming the shell or wall. One of these corner members has an ollset extension to provice for holding one container in place upon another when stacked and to assist in guiding such containers into registration with each other.

It is a further object to provide a reenforce member of such. a shape that it may be easily drawn from sheet metal and have the desired strength and other characteristics which will later appear.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the further description which relates to the accompanying drawing. The essential characteristics will be summarized in the claim.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective of a complete container; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-section through the corner reenforce construct-ion; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic representation showing the manner in which the reentorce members are applied to the joined side wall portions of the container; Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken at right angles to Fig. 2 as indicated by the line 4-4 on Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings and indicating the various parts by suitable characs, 1926'. serial No. 79,933.

ters, l and 2 represent the side and end wall members of the container respectively. These members are built up preferably of suitable boards of convenient width, and the end members are provided with openings such as 3. which form suitable handles. The four wall members are first j oinedas by nails 4 (Fig. 4-) I whereby the container may be conveniently stored after assembly up to this point and prior to applying the reenforce members.

The partition members which as shown comprise rods 5 joining opposite wall members are arranged in vertical rows "running at right angles to each other to form cells. These rods are preferably riveted over at their ends to prevent bending and to further strengthen the container. Certain of the rods, '1

namely those at the'bottom of the crate and designated 6 are spaced between the vertical rows of rods, and the milk bottles or articles to becontained restupon these rods 6.

In order that therods 5 and 6 may be positively supported intermediately of their ends,

I preferably provide a sheet metal partition 4 member? which as shown extends across sev eral of the rods running lengthwise of the container openings 8 beingprovided one for each rod. The sheet formingthe member 7 is curled overrodsdisposed perpendicularly to 2 those which pierce the sheet, preferablya top and bottom rod 5 and 5 respectively. The

rods 5, and 5 which thus support the sheet also extend through the side wall members and are riveted at their ends. I have found that by this arrangement a very substantial partition structure is provided, and therods J extending over the corner and along the edges of the container on the outsideand the other extending along the inside of the corner. The

outer reenforc'e, designated 10, consists as shown of a bent strip 11 extending substantially the height of the container and then inwardly over the supper edge thereof at 12 to form a metal rest for another container stacked thereon as above mentioned. It is incidentally immaterial whether the bent-over portion 12 isat the top or bottom of the container, and it is within'the scope of my invention to thus turn both ends of the strip inwardlyifdesired. I

As shown in Figs, 2 and4, theouter reenforce is set into the wall material so that the edges of the metal are substantially flush with the walls of the container, both at the top and at the sides. By reason-of this construction there are no projecting cutting edges enposediat thecorners and the appearance of the'containe'r is improved.

The inner reenforcihg member 15 is bent at an angle conforming to the interior of the box at its corner and'the' flanges so formed may be riveted to the opposite flanges of the member 10, suchrivets passing through the Walls 1 and 2 or" the shell thus holding both reenforce members in place with respect to the shell. I

The upperend' 16 of the member 15 extends above'th e upper edge of the container and'is otfs'ettoward the theoretic center of thecontainer at 17 to'provide clearance for thelower end of a similar reentorce on a container to be stacked thereon. The top of the portion 16 curves inwardly at 18 to form a crownwhereby the containers to be stacked one on another need not be accurately centered but will be cammed'in' place by this crown. 7 maybe obtained cheaply will sufiice for this corner reeniorcemember without cracking when being drawn, if shaped substantially as shown, namely with ,the adjacent edges 20 and 21 forming in effect intersecting convex curves, the point of intersection being above the rounded surface18. If the material of this crown were to extend vdirectly across between the outer edges of the flanges, the metal would have a tendency to crack toward thev rounded portion, whereas with this V e1- tect there is no tendency for the metal to crack eventhough the material used is inexpensivesheet metal.

It will be seen thatI have provided a container whichis exceptionally sturdy and in which the partitions are'not likely to get out of place or bent and the, corners of which are soreenforced that the box is effectively prevented from-becoming-skewed. I am aware that containers with corner reenforcing members having projections for aligning stacked containers have been previously used, but I believe theconstruction whereby an inner and outerr'eenforce may be riveted.

I have found that material which which I have herein set out in detail, to be new.

I claim In a bottle crate the combination of a plurality of wall members joined to form four corners, an inner and outer corner reenforcing iron at each corner, said irons comprising L-shaped members extending from the top to the bottom of the crate, the inner iron being oiifset inwardly at the top toserve as a guide for a superimposed crate, said outer iron having its top portion bent to overlie both adjacent walls, all portions of the outer iron being inset into the wall material in such manner that all theedges or" the iron are flush with the wall material and are effectively guarded by the wall material.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

ERNEST TRAUTMAN. 

